Comparison
Diktat vs. superwhisper
superwhisper is a dictation app for Mac, Windows and iPhone. It pairs local recognition models with AI modes: a prompt reshapes the recognized text.
Diktat and superwhisper share the one trait that matters: recognition runs on the device. That is where the similarity ends. One purpose, no modes, one purchase instead of a subscription. This page focuses on Diktat for Mac. iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch have their own app.
At a glance.
| Diktat | superwhisper | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | One-time purchase | Subscription, lifetime optional |
| Price | €19.99 at launch, later €39.99. One-time purchase for Mac, three Macs included. iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch as a separate app: from €9.99, later €19.99. | $8.49/month, $84.99/year, or $249.99 one-time (as of 5 August 2026) |
| Free to use | 5 dictations a day, permanently, with all recognitions | Free version, unlimited with the small models (their wording), 15-minute Pro trial |
| Where recognition runs | On the device | On the device, cloud models optional |
| Account | No account | Not stated on the vendor's site (as of 5 August 2026) |
| Platforms | Mac (Apple Silicon, macOS 15 or newer). The app for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch is a separate purchase. | Mac, Windows, iPhone |
| Apple Watch | Included in the iPhone app. The watch records. The iPhone transcribes. Universal Clipboard carries the text to the Mac. That takes a moment. | Not stated on the vendor's site (as of 5 August 2026) |
| What happens after recognition | No language model runs over your text. No word changes unless you ask. | AI modes can reshape the text via a prompt. That is their core feature. |
Prices and details checked on 5 August 2026 at superwhisper.com. Facts, not scores. What the vendor's site does not say, this page does not say either.
The core difference.
Both apps recognize speech on the device. The difference is what happens next. superwhisper is a toolkit: modes, prompts, selectable models, rewriting by your own rules.
Diktat is the opposite. Press the right Command key, speak, done. The text is in the field and in the clipboard. If an app does not allow pasting, it is still in the clipboard. No modes, no prompts. No language model runs over your text. That is not a missing feature, it is the product rule.
superwhisper has three pricing options: $8.49 a month, $84.99 a year, or $249.99 once as a lifetime license. Diktat for Mac is €19.99 at launch, later €39.99. The app for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch is a second one-time purchase: from €9.99 at launch, later €19.99. Both purchases together stay well below the lifetime license.
When superwhisper is the better fit.
You do not just want the recognized text pasted. You want a prompt to reshape it. That is exactly what superwhisper's AI modes are built for.
You want to pick and combine recognition models in detail, including cloud models for special cases.
You like setting up your tool before you use it: modes, models, prompts.
When Diktat is the better fit.
You do not want to configure anything. Diktat has exactly one flow: press the key, speak, the text is in the field and in the clipboard.
You want your words to stay as you said them. Diktat does not rewrite the text after recognition. There is no mode that would.
You also dictate on the iPad or the Apple Watch. Record on the watch, the iPhone transcribes, Universal Clipboard carries the text to the Mac. That takes a moment, and the iPhone has to be nearby. Diktat itself needs no account.
Questions about the comparison.
Is superwhisper free?
Yes, there is a permanent free version. Per the vendor it is unlimited with the small models, plus a 15-minute Pro trial (as of 5 August 2026). The full version costs $8.49 a month, $84.99 a year, or $249.99 once. Diktat stays free permanently with 5 dictations a day, no account.
Do both apps really run locally?
Yes, recognition runs on the device in both apps. superwhisper additionally offers cloud models as an option. Diktat has no cloud option and never sends your dictations online. Diktat only goes online to load a recognition model or Apple's language assets, unlock the purchase, and check for updates.
What is the main difference day to day?
The main difference is what happens to the text after recognition. superwhisper can reshape it with an AI mode, which is their core feature. Diktat has no such mode, and no word changes unless you ask. So the question is whether you want your own words or a formatted result.
What does superwhisper cost compared to Diktat?
superwhisper costs $8.49 a month, $84.99 a year, or $249.99 once as a lifetime license (as of 5 August 2026). Diktat for Mac is €19.99 at launch, later €39.99. For iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch it is a second one-time purchase: from €9.99 at launch, later €19.99. Diktat has no subscription.
Try Diktat.
5 dictations a day are free. No account, no subscription. The purchase is one-time.